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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: fan · stand · track · root · press · sharp · charge · bark

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. track — a song
  3. charge — in control
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. root — of a word
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — to push
  15. sharp — clever
  16. root — of a plant
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. press — a publisher
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. charge — a price
  23. root — the cause
  24. press — newspapers

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