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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 116 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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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: mouse · board · firm · root · wound · current · deal · rush

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — steady
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. current — happening now
  6. board — a committee
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — to get on
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. root — of a word
  21. current — electric
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rush — hurry

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