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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.

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: root · charge · spell · perch · scale · staff · field · wave

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. staff — employees
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spell — letters
  8. root — of a word
  9. field — a subject
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. root — the cause
  12. scale — in music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. field — for sport
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. staff — employees
  20. spell — magic
  21. field — farmland
  22. spell — a short time
  23. staff — a stick
  24. charge — electricity

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