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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. current — happening now
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. root — of a word
  10. degree — from a university
  11. current — of water
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bank — for money
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ground — a position
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. ground — crushed
  20. root — the cause
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ground — the earth
  24. degree — temperature

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