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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: fan · temple · wind · root · charge · present · toast · current

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — a price
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. present — there
  6. root — of a word
  7. present — the time now
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. current — electric
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. root — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — of water
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. current — happening now
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wind — moving air
  24. toast — bread

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