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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. charge — electricity
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — a price
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pop — music
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pop — soda
  16. root — of a word
  17. charge — in control
  18. root — the cause
  19. tear — from crying
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tear — to rip

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