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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 116 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: root · branch · stick · charge · coach · fan · bear · tube

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. tube — a container
  8. branch — a division
  9. bear — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — a price
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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