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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: wake · root · swing · charge · wave · plane · chip · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — the cause
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chip — for betting
  15. charge — a price
  16. swing — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chip — to eat
  20. root — of a word
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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