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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
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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 · rest · pit · sharp · file · plane · current · field

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. root — of a word
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rest — a break
  8. field — for sport
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. file — a document
  11. root — the cause
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. field — a subject
  15. rest — what's left
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. root — of a plant
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. field — farmland
  23. file — a tool
  24. sharp — clever

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