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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 116 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: cue · root · band · bore · bass · ground · calf · charge

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. charge — a price
  4. band — a music group
  5. cue — a signal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ground — crushed
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — electricity
  18. root — of a word
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bass — the fish
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. charge — in control
  24. bass — low music

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