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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. drill — army training
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — soda
  6. saw — the tool
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — electricity
  9. drill — the tool
  10. root — of a word
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — to get on
  13. charge — in control
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a plant
  21. race — a contest
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. charge — a price

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