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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 · mark · scale · stand · pit · bear · ruler

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mark — a grade
  8. scale — in music
  9. charge — in control
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — a price
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. scale — size or range
  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