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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: root · charge · wound · mouse · cabinet · track · pass · clip

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. track — a song
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — a path
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. charge — a price
  10. clip — for paper
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. root — of a word
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a plant

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