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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. root — the cause
  3. fork — in a road
  4. charge — in control
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a partner
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — to crush
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rule — government

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