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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 116 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — the cause
  7. chip — to eat
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. charge — electricity
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hand — help
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lash — an eyelash

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