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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: charge · lean · toast · ball · root · spell · wake · fine

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. spell — letters
  7. charge — in control
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. lean — thin
  11. root — of a word
  12. toast — bread
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spell — magic

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