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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cold · track · root · pitch · cabinet · bowl · ball

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cold — an illness
  5. root — of a word
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitch — completely
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. current — of water
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bowl — a football final

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