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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
468
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 · field · bore · race · charge · track · trunk · leaves

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. track — a path
  6. field — farmland
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. race — the arms race
  10. field — for sport
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. race — humankind
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. field — a subject
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. race — a contest
  22. charge — in control
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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