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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: wake · pitch · safe · file · root · date · land · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a tool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. land — ground
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. land — to come down
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. root — of a plant
  22. land — a country
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wake — before a funeral

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