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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: file · capital · root · pit · deal · charge · branch · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. charge — in control
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pit — in a race
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. file — a tool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a document
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. capital — money
  16. branch — a division
  17. root — the cause
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. file — a line of people
  23. root — of a word
  24. capital — a city

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