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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. object — a thing
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. object — an aim
  12. sharp — clever
  13. charge — electricity
  14. root — of a plant
  15. board — to get on
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. charge — a price
  20. root — the cause
  21. toast — bread
  22. board — a committee
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. root — of a word

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