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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: foot · chest · charge · racket · cell · root · ground · trunk

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chest — a box
  3. root — of a plant
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — a measure
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ground — crushed
  9. charge — a price
  10. ground — the earth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. root — of a word
  14. cell — in biology
  15. chest — of your body
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. charge — electricity
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chest — of your body
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ground — a position
  24. cell — a phone

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