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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: leaves · root · charge · firm · net · date · vault · cold

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. cold — an illness
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — decided
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. firm — a company
  8. date — the fruit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. cold — not warm
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. charge — in control
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. vault — a safe
  22. firm — steady
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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