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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: mug · kid · mine · current · spell · root · rock · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mine — for digging
  4. kid — to tease
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stand — to bear
  8. root — of a word
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kid — child
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rock — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mug — a cup
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — magic
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — a face
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — letters
  22. root — the cause
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spell — a short time

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