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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: perch · fine · trunk · root · charge · track · bass · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bass — the fish
  5. perch — the fish
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. bass — low music
  9. track — a song
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — high quality
  15. track — a path
  16. pound — a weight
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — a price
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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