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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: lean · game · jam · root · current · stick · wound · leaves

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lean — to bend
  7. game — wild animals
  8. current — electric
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. root — the cause
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. root — of a plant
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a match
  24. wound — an injury

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