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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
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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: coach · wound · file · root · fall · saw · dip · current

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. root — the cause
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — electric
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fall — the season
  7. file — a tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. file — a document
  10. wound — an injury
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. saw — the tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — of a word
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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