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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.

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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 · can · snap · hand · game · mark · root · stem

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. charge — a price
  4. can — to be able to
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. snap — to click
  9. mark — a grade
  10. game — a match
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mark — a trace
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. can — a tin
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. game — wild animals
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. root — of a word
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. charge — electricity

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