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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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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — a company
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — electricity
  10. firm — steady
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. firm — decided
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. root — the cause
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spring — the season
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. charge — a price
  23. root — of a word
  24. spring — of water

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