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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mark — a grade
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — the cause
  6. charge — a price
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. toast — bread
  9. root — of a word
  10. cold — not warm
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. charge — in control
  15. cold — an illness
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. root — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. deal — to handle
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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