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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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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: date · wound · fine · drill · root · suit · charge · scale

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — to fit
  3. drill — army training
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. root — of a plant
  17. drill — a practice
  18. scale — size or range
  19. suit — clothes
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — the cause
  22. scale — in music
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wound — an injury

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