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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: fan · charge · root · current · pitch · rash · game · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — of water
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. root — the cause
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a word
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. branch — a division
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. charge — a price
  23. rash — a series
  24. branch — of a bank

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