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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: charge · stand · land · board · root · plane · bark · spell

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. spell — magic
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. charge — in control
  5. land — a country
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bark — to shout
  10. board — to get on
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. charge — a price
  15. spell — letters
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — the cause
  20. land — ground
  21. root — of a word
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. land — to come down

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