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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
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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: snap · charge · scale · root · suit · season · land · roll

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. charge — electricity
  3. root — of a word
  4. roll — a cake
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — to come down
  7. root — of a plant
  8. scale — size or range
  9. land — a country
  10. charge — a price
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. roll — a list
  15. land — ground
  16. root — the cause
  17. snap — to click
  18. charge — in control
  19. scale — in music
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. season — of the year

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