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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: bark · straw · stand · racket · field · temple · root · charge

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. field — a subject
  3. stand — to bear
  4. root — of a word
  5. charge — in control
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. field — farmland
  8. bark — to shout
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. field — for sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. charge — a price
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. root — the cause

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