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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: safe · charge · root · roll · bark · scale · tear · net

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. roll — a cake
  4. charge — in control
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. root — the cause
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tear — from crying
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. root — of a plant
  15. charge — a price
  16. roll — a list
  17. net — after costs
  18. scale — in music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bark — to shout
  22. net — for catching
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. net — in sport

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