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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. club — a group
  3. root — the cause
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. charge — a price
  7. root — of a word
  8. charge — electricity
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bass — the fish
  11. degree — temperature
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. club — for dancing
  18. charge — in control
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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