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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: ground · bat · stem · root · stand · nail · pit · charge

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stem — to come from
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ground — a position
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — to bear

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