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

Word bank: face · root · charge · jam · spring · perch

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. perch — the fish
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. charge — a price
  5. root — of a word
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spring — the season
  8. face — part of the head
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. charge — in control
  11. root — the cause
  12. face — to point toward
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spring — a coil
  15. charge — electricity
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. face — to confront
  18. root — of a plant

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