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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: charge · hide · calf · rush · trunk · race · root · present

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. present — the time now
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rush — hurry
  7. root — of a plant
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. root — the cause
  13. race — a contest
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. race — humankind
  17. present — a gift
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — there
  21. root — of a word
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. calf — a young animal
  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