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

Word bank: pound · cell · rule · mug · root · stem · safe · current

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — of a word
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rule — government
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. mug — to rob
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mug — a cup
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. root — the cause
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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