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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: dip · face · mouse · root · bore · branch · wake · charge

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to sink
  6. root — of a word
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. root — the cause
  9. face — to confront
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. root — of a plant
  14. branch — a division
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — to tire
  24. charge — a price

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