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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: mouse · fork · current · kick · root · branch · charge · bound

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. current — of water
  4. root — the cause
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. current — happening now
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. current — electric
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. branch — a division
  20. root — of a word
  21. charge — in control
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. root — of a plant
  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