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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: current · mug · cap · swing · temple · land · suit · root

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — of water
  3. mug — a face
  4. root — of a word
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — a lid
  13. current — happening now
  14. mug — to rob
  15. swing — to play on
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cap — of ice
  21. current — electric
  22. swing — music
  23. land — ground
  24. temple — side of the head

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