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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · fall · mark · wound · bass · mine · squash · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fall — to drop
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mark — a grade
  11. root — the cause
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bass — low music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — a price
  19. root — of a word
  20. mine — for digging
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. fall — the season

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