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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: ground · bat · root · plane · charge · leaves · fork · bound

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. fork — in a road
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bound — tied together
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. charge — in control
  12. ground — the earth
  13. root — of a word
  14. bound — certain
  15. ground — a position
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. bound — obliged
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bat — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bat — for baseball

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