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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: game · ground · net · wave · suit · current · root · drill

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. root — of a word
  3. drill — army training
  4. current — of water
  5. net — after costs
  6. root — the cause
  7. game — a match
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. drill — the tool
  12. net — for catching
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ground — the earth
  18. net — in sport
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — a position
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — happening now
  24. suit — to fit

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