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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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · root · charge · jam · spring · perch · calf · trunk

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. spring — of water
  6. charge — electricity
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. perch — the fish
  10. face — part of the head
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. face — to confront
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. charge — in control
  18. face — to point toward
  19. root — the cause
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. spring — the season
  23. root — of a plant
  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