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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 120 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: chair · prune · root · cell · charge · can · game · sharp

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cell — a phone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — of a plant
  6. charge — in control
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. chair — a leader
  9. game — a match
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. root — of a word
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. game — wild animals
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — a price
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. can — a tin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cell — in biology
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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