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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: wound · root · mine · chip · current · foot · rock · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mine — for digging
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. rock — music
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. foot — a measure
  15. current — of water
  16. root — of a word
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. current — electric
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wound — an injury
  22. root — the cause
  23. current — happening now
  24. mine — belonging to me

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