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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: mug · can · trunk · bore · charge · branch · track · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bore — to tire
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mug — to rob
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — to drill
  11. track — a song
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. track — a path
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — a division
  17. charge — a price
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a document
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mug — a face
  24. file — a tool

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