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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: bass · current · root · stand · deal · mouse · mark · band

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bass — low music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. current — happening now
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. band — a ring
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. current — electric
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. root — the cause

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