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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ball — a great time
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — in control
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. track — a path
  10. staff — a stick
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. track — to keep track
  17. root — of a word
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — army training
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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