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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: jam · cap · wake · hide · charge · root · branch · board

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. root — the cause
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — a division
  8. root — of a word
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — electricity
  11. board — a committee
  12. root — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — a price
  15. board — to get on
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cap — a hat
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wake — a trail
  23. charge — in control
  24. branch — of a tree

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