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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: row · file · fan · current · root · bat · pound · tube

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. tube — the underground
  4. current — happening now
  5. row — to paddle
  6. file — a tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. file — a document
  9. current — of water
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. current — electric
  20. bat — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. row — a line
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. fan — a supporter

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