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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · plane · root · wind · mine · charge · coach · foot

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — in control
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — the cause
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wind — moving air
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. charge — a price
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. plane — in geometry

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