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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.

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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: root · spell · face · land · bore · cap · charge · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bore — to drill
  3. land — a country
  4. face — to point toward
  5. root — the cause
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — letters
  8. bass — low music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. spell — a short time
  13. land — to come down
  14. root — of a word
  15. charge — electricity
  16. face — part of the head
  17. spell — magic
  18. face — to confront
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. land — ground
  22. cap — a hat
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bore — gave birth

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