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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
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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: charge · race · calf · bass · wake · root · jam · squash

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. root — the cause
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. squash — the sport
  9. root — of a plant
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. squash — to crush
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — a trail
  14. charge — electricity
  15. race — the arms race
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — in control
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. bass — the fish
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. calf — a young animal
  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