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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · bore · jam · snap · saw · root · dip · current

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. root — the cause
  4. bore — to tire
  5. current — electric
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bore — to drill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. dip — to sink
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. root — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bark — to shout
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — of water
  24. snap — to click

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