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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 116 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: root · clip · hand · cell · wave · bay · bulb · charge

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — in cards
  8. root — the cause
  9. hand — help
  10. bulb — for light
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a word
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cell — a phone
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — part of the body

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