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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: row · bore · bulb · charge · capital · mug · degree · root

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mug — a face
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. degree — temperature
  6. row — a line
  7. bore — to drill
  8. capital — money
  9. mug — a cup
  10. degree — from a university
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — to paddle
  14. degree — an amount
  15. capital — a city
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — to rob
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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