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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cell — a phone
  3. drill — a practice
  4. charge — in control
  5. present — there
  6. root — the cause
  7. present — the time now
  8. cell — in biology
  9. drill — army training
  10. land — ground
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. land — to come down
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — a gift
  16. drill — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — a price
  20. current — electric
  21. land — a country
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. root — of a word
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

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

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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