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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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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: snap · root · bowl · march · chest · bear · charge · bark

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. root — of a plant
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — in control
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bear — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. march — music
  19. snap — to click
  20. root — of a word
  21. march — the month
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — a price
  24. bear — the animal

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