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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 · nail · court · tear · mouse · pop · rock · current

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. root — the cause
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — of law
  8. current — happening now
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pop — to visit
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pop — soda
  16. tear — to rip
  17. current — electric
  18. court — of a king
  19. pop — music
  20. root — of a word
  21. current — of water
  22. court — for sport
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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