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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
468
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: fork · root · charge · last · mate · can · bulb · racket

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. root — of a word
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mate — a partner
  10. root — of a plant
  11. can — to be able to
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — a friend
  14. last — to go on
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. last — finally
  20. can — a tin
  21. last — final
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. charge — electricity

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