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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: root · deal · charge · object · squash · mate · sharp · field

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mate — a partner
  4. object — an aim
  5. sharp — clever
  6. field — farmland
  7. root — the cause
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. charge — electricity
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. field — a subject
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mate — a friend
  20. charge — in control
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. object — a thing
  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