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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 120 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: suit · fork · bear · kid · charge · can · stem · root

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. kid — child
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. suit — in cards
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. charge — a price
  18. suit — to fit
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. charge — in control
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fork — to eat with

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