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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rule · root · object · content · scale · pitcher · club · charge

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rule — government
  3. club — for golf
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rule — a law
  6. root — the cause
  7. content — the amount
  8. club — a group
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. charge — a price
  13. scale — in music
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. root — of a plant
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. charge — in control
  18. club — for dancing
  19. content — happy
  20. scale — size or range
  21. root — of a word
  22. object — a thing
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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