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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 · kid · calf · face · sharp · root · squash · bound

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. root — of a plant
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. sharp — clever
  5. root — the cause
  6. kid — child
  7. charge — in control
  8. bound — tied together
  9. squash — to crush
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. face — to confront
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. charge — a price
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. face — to point toward
  16. squash — the sport
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bound — obliged
  20. charge — electricity
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. root — of a word
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — certain

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