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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: root · mate · charge · can · ground · mug · stem · board

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — a price
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mug — a face
  9. mate — to breed
  10. can — to be able to
  11. root — the cause
  12. ground — a position
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. ground — the earth
  17. can — a tin
  18. board — to get on
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. charge — in control
  23. mug — to rob
  24. board — a committee

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