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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · mouse · ball · root · chair · current · wind · can

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. ball — a great time
  12. object — to protest
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. root — of a plant
  17. can — to be able to
  18. root — the cause
  19. current — happening now
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. object — an aim

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