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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: pound · root · game · fan · deal · charge · pit · safe

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pound — a weight
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — a price
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — in a race
  8. root — the cause
  9. charge — in control
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. game — a match
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. root — of a word

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