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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 120 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 · fan · snap · trunk · charge · sharp · deal · can

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. charge — a price
  6. root — of a plant
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — in control
  17. deal — to handle
  18. snap — to click
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. sharp — clever
  23. root — the cause
  24. fan — to cool the air

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