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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 · calf · fan · current · mark · bulb · pound · game

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. current — of water
  10. root — of a word
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. game — a match
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. current — electric
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mark — to pay attention

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