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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: pound · ball · root · stem · rash · mug · chip · charge

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rash — hasty
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ball — a great time
  7. charge — electricity
  8. root — of a word
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mug — a cup
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mug — a face
  19. stem — to come from
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rash — a series
  22. charge — in control
  23. root — the cause
  24. stem — of a plant

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