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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · march · charge · root · object · mine · nail · calf

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. march — the month
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — the cause
  6. deal — to handle
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. root — of a word
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. march — music
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — a price
  15. object — an aim
  16. march — the month
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — to protest
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — in control
  23. object — a thing
  24. deal — an agreement

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