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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. charge — in control
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — for golf
  7. root — of a word
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. club — for dancing
  10. charge — electricity
  11. root — the cause
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — a container
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. staff — employees
  18. charge — a price
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wind — moving air
  22. club — a group
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — a trainer

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