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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · saw · root · pass · lean · face · pit · charge

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. root — of a word
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — of a plant
  10. face — to confront
  11. charge — in control
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lean — thin
  21. charge — a price
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. face — to point toward

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