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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: sharp · last · current · toast · kick · net · straw · root

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. current — electric
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. last — finally
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — happening now
  9. last — final
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. root — of a word
  15. sharp — clever
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. kick — in football
  19. last — to go on
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. toast — bread
  23. root — the cause
  24. current — of water

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