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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
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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: root · field · fork · stem · capital · current · ball · rush

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stem — to come from
  3. capital — a city
  4. field — for sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. capital — money
  7. current — electric
  8. root — of a word
  9. current — happening now
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. field — farmland
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. field — a subject
  23. current — of water
  24. ball — a dance

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