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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: present · nail · court · file · root · current · dip · can

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. can — a tin
  3. present — there
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. root — of a plant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. present — the time now
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. current — happening now
  10. can — to be able to
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. root — of a word
  13. court — for sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — a gift
  16. file — a line of people
  17. court — of a king
  18. file — a tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. file — a document
  21. current — of water
  22. court — of law
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — a sauce

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