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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — of a plant
  3. charge — a price
  4. root — the cause
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bark — to shout
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mine — for digging
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rest — a break
  22. root — of a word
  23. object — an aim
  24. sharp — with an edge

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