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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 120 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: season · bark · charge · tube · wake · root · wave · bound

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. season — of the year
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. charge — a price
  15. season — in sport
  16. bound — certain
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tube — the underground
  20. root — of a word
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. root — the cause
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. charge — in control

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