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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rock — a stone
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bear — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. key — the most important part
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. tear — to rip
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rock — music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tear — from crying
  21. key — in music
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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