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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 120 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: current · bore · cabinet · dip · root · charge · last · fan

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. charge — a price
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. current — happening now
  12. charge — in control
  13. last — final
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. last — to go on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. root — the cause
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. current — of water
  23. last — finally
  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