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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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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 · root · nail · charge · present · pound · face · staff

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. root — the cause
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. face — part of the head
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to confront
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. staff — employees
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — electricity
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to point toward
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — in control
  17. present — there
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. kick — in football
  23. pound — a weight
  24. present — the time now

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