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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: wound · charge · bay · foot · coach · bear · root · plane

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. root — of a plant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. charge — a price
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. charge — in control
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. root — of a word
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. root — the cause
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wound — an injury
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bear — to put up with

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