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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: nail · straw · can · season · pit · tube · root · charge

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — the underground
  3. root — of a word
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — in sport
  11. charge — in control
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. root — the cause
  14. season — of the year
  15. pit — in a race
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. can — to be able to
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — a container
  20. root — of a plant
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. straw — dry grass

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