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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 116 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: firm · root · fork · net · calf · leaves · charge · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. charge — a price
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. firm — a company
  10. fork — in a road
  11. net — after costs
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. root — the cause
  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