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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: suit · roll · court · mouse · mate · root · current · rock

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. current — electric
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. root — the cause
  11. mate — a friend
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rock — music
  14. roll — a list
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — of a word
  17. court — of a king
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — of law
  21. root — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — happening now
  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