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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. degree — an amount
  3. cue — a signal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. root — of a word
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. degree — temperature
  9. root — the cause
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — to shout
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — a hint
  16. firm — a company
  17. bore — to drill
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — decided
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — clothes

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