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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: tube · stand · safe · ball · charge · cap · root · row

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. tube — a container
  7. charge — in control
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. row — a line
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cap — a lid
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — to paddle
  18. charge — a price
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cap — of ice
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — the cause
  24. tube — in a tire

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