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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: pop · wound · deal · charge · root · scale · wave · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — music
  4. charge — in control
  5. pop — soda
  6. charge — a price
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. root — of a word
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. root — the cause
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. scale — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. deal — to handle
  23. root — of a plant
  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