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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 · scale · can · clip · saw · bank · face · current

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. current — happening now
  3. face — to confront
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — of water
  7. clip — to cut
  8. scale — in music
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. can — to be able to
  11. saw — the tool
  12. clip — for paper
  13. face — part of the head
  14. root — of a plant
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. current — electric
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — a video
  19. face — to point toward
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a word
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bank — for money

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