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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: charge · root · mug · stem · racket · pop · pitcher · date

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. root — of a word
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — a price
  12. mug — a face
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pop — music
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pop — soda
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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