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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: wave · charge · game · root · cabinet · kick · foot · jam

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. root — of a word
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. charge — in control
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — a measure
  17. kick — in football
  18. root — of a plant
  19. charge — a price
  20. game — wild animals
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  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