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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: cue · shower · kick · current · coach · root · bear · firm

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — steady
  3. kick — in football
  4. current — of water
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. shower — rain
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — electric
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. root — the cause
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — a hint
  24. root — of a plant

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