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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rule — a law
  4. fine — all right
  5. march — the month
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. march — music
  11. rule — government
  12. root — of a word
  13. cap — a hat
  14. march — the month
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cap — a lid
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wind — moving air

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