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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: face · pitch · charge · chip · current · lean · root · rest

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rest — a break
  3. charge — a price
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — of a word
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — to point toward
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. current — of water
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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