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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: ground · pound · rush · root · mate · rest · face · charge

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — of a word
  4. pound — a weight
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. face — to confront
  10. root — the cause
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ground — the earth
  22. root — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. rush — to hurry

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