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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wave · tube · temple · current · game · root · spell · rest

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. root — of a plant
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. rest — what's left
  6. root — the cause
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — the underground
  13. current — electric
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — a container
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. rest — a break
  21. game — a match
  22. root — of a word
  23. rest — what's left
  24. game — wild animals

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