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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: ground · scale · fine · root · charge · field · jam · rush

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. field — for sport
  5. ground — a position
  6. charge — in control
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ground — crushed
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. scale — in music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. scale — size or range
  19. root — of a word
  20. charge — a price
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ground — the earth
  24. charge — electricity

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