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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: bowl · current · dip · shower · bark · saw · root · lean

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — happening now
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. dip — to sink
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. current — electric
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. current — of water

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