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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. root — the cause
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. root — of a word
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fine — all right
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. field — farmland
  21. fine — high quality
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  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