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

Word bank: mine · root · bay · wave · deal · charge · cell · cabinet

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. root — of a word
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mine — for digging
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. root — of a plant
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — the cause
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. charge — in control

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