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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mate — a partner
  3. charge — electricity
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. root — of a word
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. snap — to click
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. charge — in control
  17. fine — high quality
  18. club — a group
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. club — for golf
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rash — a series
  24. club — for dancing

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