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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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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: firm · craft · bulb · root · kid · charge · chair · trunk

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — in control
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. firm — decided
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. root — the cause
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kid — child
  19. charge — a price
  20. root — of a plant
  21. craft — boats
  22. bulb — for light
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kid — to tease

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