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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: spring · toast · mouse · root · current · can · bat · pitcher

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. current — of water
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. toast — bread
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. spring — the season
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — electric
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mouse — the animal

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