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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · arm · root · clip · current · roll · trunk · bass

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. current — electric
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. bass — low music
  7. root — the cause
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. roll — a cake
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — of water
  16. clip — a video
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. arm — part of the body

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