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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: scale · bass · root · shower · object · coach · charge · season

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. charge — a price
  4. scale — in music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. root — of a word
  9. charge — electricity
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bass — low music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — an aim
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. season — in sport
  16. bass — the fish
  17. season — of the year
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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