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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: fan · deal · charge · row · root · mark · prune · ground

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — the cause
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. charge — electricity
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — a trace
  12. deal — to handle
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. row — a line
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. root — of a plant
  23. deal — a big deal
  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