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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. track — a song
  3. craft — a skill
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — a gift
  8. track — a path
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — there
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — for light
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. craft — boats
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. present — the time now
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com