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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 116 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: pound · lean · perch · root · charge · wax · nail · fine

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fine — all right
  13. pound — a weight
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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