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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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468
Word bank
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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fine — high quality
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. root — the cause
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stock — shares
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. root — of a word
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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