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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: date · can · board · charge · root · ball · pitcher · snap

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — a price
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. root — the cause
  10. board — a committee
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. snap — to click
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. board — to get on
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. date — on the calendar

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