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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: current · dip · root · row · content · chest · staff · bowl

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. chest — of your body
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — happening now
  7. root — of a word
  8. chest — of your body
  9. content — the amount
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. staff — a stick
  14. current — electric
  15. content — happy
  16. current — of water
  17. row — a line
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chest — a box
  24. bowl — to roll

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