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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 120 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: bear · nail · branch · charge · coach · temple · ball · root

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. branch — a division
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a word
  12. ball — a dance
  13. root — the cause
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. charge — a price
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bear — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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