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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mate — a friend
  3. root — of a word
  4. court — of a king
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mug — a cup
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. court — for sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. mate — a partner
  14. capital — money
  15. mug — to rob
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. root — the cause
  19. charge — in control
  20. tube — the underground
  21. court — of law
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mug — a face
  24. capital — a city

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