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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.

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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: fall · charge · kick · trunk · root · cabinet · perch · row

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fall — the season
  4. row — a line
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. charge — in control
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. kick — in football
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. row — to paddle
  18. root — the cause
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. perch — the fish
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — of a word

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