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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.

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: cap · root · fine · bay · object · ground · branch · charge

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. charge — a price
  4. ground — a position
  5. fine — all right
  6. charge — electricity
  7. object — to protest
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — a thing
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. root — the cause
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — a division
  20. object — an aim
  21. ground — the earth
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ground — crushed

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