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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mate — a partner
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. charge — in control
  19. root — of a word
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. charge — a price

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