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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: root · nail · march · wave · jam · face · current · saw

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. march — music
  5. current — of water
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. current — electric
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — happening now
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. face — to confront
  14. root — of a word
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a plant
  24. jam — in traffic

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