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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. root — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. land — to come down
  10. root — the cause
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. plane — a tool
  13. land — ground
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. land — a country
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. root — of a word
  20. perch — the fish
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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