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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.

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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: bulb · mine · root · drill · press · charge · foot · branch

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. press — a publisher
  5. charge — in control
  6. foot — a measure
  7. drill — the tool
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. charge — a price
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — for digging
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a plant
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. drill — army training
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — a division
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. press — to push
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. root — of a word

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