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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
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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: jam · mate · scale · season · charge · wake · snap · root

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. root — of a word
  6. mate — to breed
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. scale — in music
  10. mate — a friend
  11. charge — electricity
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. root — the cause
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mate — a partner
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wake — a trail
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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