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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: root · bay · chest · craft · deal · pound · bank · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. chest — of your body
  3. root — of a plant
  4. charge — in control
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bank — of a river
  7. craft — boats
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. root — of a word
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chest — a box
  17. root — the cause
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a skill
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. charge — a price
  24. bank — for money

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