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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: roll · prune · root · current · chip · foot · season · straw

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. current — happening now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. root — the cause
  8. roll — a list
  9. chip — to eat
  10. prune — to trim
  11. season — of the year
  12. root — of a plant
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. current — of water
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — electric
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. root — of a word
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. season — in sport
  24. straw — a straw man

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