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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: field · pass · chest · perch · root · club · charge · cap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. perch — the fish
  3. charge — in control
  4. club — for golf
  5. field — a subject
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. field — for sport
  12. chest — a box
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cap — of ice
  16. field — farmland
  17. chest — of your body
  18. cap — a hat
  19. club — a group
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. root — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  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