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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 · mine · object · kid · current · wake · stock · mug

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. kid — child
  5. object — to protest
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. current — of water
  9. mine — for digging
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a face
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. current — happening now
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wake — a trail
  16. current — electric
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stock — goods
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a word
  24. wake — before a funeral

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