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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.

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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 · bear · nail · dip · spell · root · rush · arm

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. root — of a word
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. spell — letters
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. current — electric
  21. rush — hurry
  22. root — of a plant
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. current — of water

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