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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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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: suit · mine · last · squash · current · land · root · cue

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. suit — clothes
  5. current — electric
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. root — the cause
  8. mine — for digging
  9. land — to come down
  10. last — finally
  11. cue — for pool
  12. land — ground
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. suit — in cards
  16. root — of a word
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. last — to go on
  19. land — a country
  20. last — final
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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