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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: stem · nail · kid · leaves · march · charge · ruler · root

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — electricity
  10. march — the month
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. march — music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kid — child
  16. charge — a price
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kid — to tease
  19. root — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — the cause
  22. charge — in control
  23. march — the month
  24. root — of a word

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