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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 · rest · current · drill · dip · root · branch · press

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. rest — what's left
  4. current — of water
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — to sink
  8. press — to push
  9. root — the cause
  10. drill — army training
  11. mug — to rob
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. press — a publisher
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. press — newspapers
  24. dip — a sauce

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