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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: plane · nail · charge · club · bank · straw · ground · root

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. root — the cause
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. root — of a word
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. club — a group
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — a position
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ground — crushed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — for golf
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. club — for dancing
  24. charge — a price

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