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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. root — of a plant
  3. firm — a company
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rash — hasty
  9. charge — a price
  10. root — the cause
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — of a word
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rash — a series
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. present — the time now
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — a gift
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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