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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — high quality
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — a price
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. root — the cause
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — a company
  16. fine — all right
  17. cell — a phone
  18. charge — in control
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. root — of a plant
  21. game — a match
  22. charge — electricity
  23. root — of a word
  24. firm — steady

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