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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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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: stem · root · mug · bay · drill · season · field · charge

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. root — the cause
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. charge — in control
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — of the year
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. field — farmland
  12. drill — a practice
  13. charge — a price
  14. drill — army training
  15. season — in sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. root — of a word
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mug — a face
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mug — to rob
  22. field — for sport
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stem — a stem cell

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