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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.

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: file · race · root · staff · charge · cap · leaves · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. root — of a word
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pop — soda
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cap — a lid
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. staff — employees
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. root — of a plant
  11. charge — a price
  12. race — humankind
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. cap — of ice
  16. charge — in control
  17. file — a document
  18. pop — to visit
  19. root — the cause
  20. file — a tool
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. race — a contest
  23. charge — electricity
  24. file — a line of people

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