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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: charge · root · suit · fork · dip · pound · scale · face

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — to confront
  6. root — the cause
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pound — a weight
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. scale — size or range
  15. suit — in cards
  16. face — to point toward
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. root — of a word
  24. scale — in 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