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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 120 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: ground · stock · charge · wake · hide · temple · root · ball

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. root — of a word
  3. stock — shares
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — the cause
  7. wake — a trail
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stock — goods
  10. ground — a position
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. charge — a price
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. root — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — electricity

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