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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: race · bound · charge · root · firm · file · jam · craft

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. file — a document
  3. charge — in control
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. firm — steady
  7. file — a tool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. firm — decided
  10. charge — a price
  11. race — the arms race
  12. craft — boats
  13. race — a contest
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bound — certain
  17. file — a line of people
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. firm — a company
  23. race — humankind
  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