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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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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cold — an illness
  4. pass — a permit
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. root — of a word
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chest — of your body
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — a price
  20. chest — a box
  21. root — the cause
  22. charge — in control
  23. cold — not warm
  24. charge — electricity

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