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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. root — of a word
  4. charge — a price
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — in control
  7. fork — in a road
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — size or range
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — a committee
  24. wake — a trail

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