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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
468
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: club · pound · bass · root · scale · track · temple · charge

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. charge — in control
  3. club — for golf
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. club — for dancing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. charge — a price
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. track — a song
  13. scale — in music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. pound — a weight
  17. track — a path
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. club — a group

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