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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 116 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: calf · scale · fine · root · pop · prune · charge · rush

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — soda
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rush — hurry
  13. root — the cause
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. root — of a word

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