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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pit — a hole
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. deal — to handle
  12. toast — bread
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — of a word
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pit — in a race
  24. calf — of the leg

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