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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spell — a short time
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — magic
  13. bulb — for light
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — letters
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kid — child
  20. present — there
  21. charge — a price
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. present — a gift
  24. kid — to tease

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