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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. charge — in control
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. root — the cause
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. root — of a word
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. root — of a plant
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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