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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: roll · charge · root · bear · tear · current · face · rock

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. charge — electricity
  12. current — electric
  13. tear — from crying
  14. roll — a list
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rock — music
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rock — a stone
  19. face — to confront
  20. charge — in control
  21. root — of a plant
  22. face — to point toward
  23. tear — from crying
  24. current — of water

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