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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: content · drill · trunk · plane · mouse · nail · root · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. charge — a price
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — in control
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. content — happy
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — of a word
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. drill — army training
  17. content — the amount
  18. plane — a tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. root — the cause
  24. trunk — of a car

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