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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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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: bay · wind · root · bore · charge · ruler · press · prune

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. press — newspapers
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — to tire
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — in control
  14. root — the cause
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wind — moving air
  21. press — to push
  22. charge — a price
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. press — a publisher

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