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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: pitcher · safe · root · rest · nail · cell · firm · charge

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. firm — decided
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — the cause
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cell — a phone
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — a break
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cell — in biology
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. firm — steady
  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