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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: root · plane · present · charge · key · spell · game · ground

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. present — a gift
  3. charge — in control
  4. root — of a plant
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. game — wild animals
  7. charge — a price
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ground — the earth
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — electricity
  12. present — the time now
  13. key — for a lock
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. present — there
  16. key — in music
  17. root — the cause
  18. key — the most important part
  19. game — a match
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — a tool

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