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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 · squash · trunk · bark · root · stick · leaves · chip

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bark — to shout
  7. root — the cause
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — of a plant
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. root — of a word
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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