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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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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: cap · root · file · stem · jam · charge · wind · fall

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a document
  3. cap — of ice
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stem — to come from
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — of a word
  11. charge — a price
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. file — a tool
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wind — moving air
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fall — to drop
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fall — the season
  24. wind — moving air

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