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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 120 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: kick · charge · rock · sharp · spell · mug · root · fine

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — a face
  3. charge — a price
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — in control
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kick — in football
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spell — letters
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — electricity
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rock — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. fine — high quality
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mug — a cup
  23. root — the cause
  24. spell — a short time

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