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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 116 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: ground · lean · saw · charge · bulb · lash · face · root

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ground — the earth
  5. root — the cause
  6. charge — in control
  7. lean — thin
  8. face — to point toward
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. face — to confront
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. charge — a price
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ground — a position
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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