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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pound — a weight
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — there
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — in control
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. charge — a price
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ball — a dance
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. present — the time now
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. root — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. root — of a word

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