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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.

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: ground · rash · trunk · root · land · calf · mug · charge

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. rash — a series
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ground — crushed
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. root — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — the earth
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — a country
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. root — of a word
  22. rash — hasty
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — a position

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