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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: row · wake · firm · bear · content · root · chip · charge

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — the amount
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bear — the animal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. root — of a word
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. chip — for betting
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — in control
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. firm — decided
  17. row — to paddle
  18. content — happy
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. row — a line
  24. firm — steady

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