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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: club · plane · bore · cap · wound · root · charge · wave

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. charge — in control
  3. wound — an injury
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. club — a group
  6. cap — a lid
  7. charge — a price
  8. root — of a word
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bore — to tire
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — a hat
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. club — for golf
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. root — of a plant
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wave — with your hand

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