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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: straw · ground · root · dip · mark · bulb · current · mug

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mug — a cup
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ground — the earth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. current — happening now
  12. root — of a word
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mug — to rob
  23. ground — a position
  24. mark — a grade

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