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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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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: calf · root · patient · spell · charge · file · nail · pitcher

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — in control
  4. file — a tool
  5. root — of a plant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. file — a document
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. file — a line of people
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spell — letters
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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