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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: shower · firm · root · bound · fall · trunk · charge · fan

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — in control
  5. shower — to wash
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fall — to drop
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. root — the cause
  12. fall — the season
  13. root — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fall — to drop
  17. root — of a word
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — decided
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bound — certain
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bound — tied together
  24. firm — a company

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