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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. net — for catching
  3. root — of a word
  4. net — in sport
  5. root — the cause
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — a path
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chair — a leader
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. face — part of the head
  15. charge — a price
  16. net — after costs
  17. track — to keep track
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — a song
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. charge — electricity
  24. nail — on a finger

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