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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: press · root · temple · fine · straw · mate · current · ground

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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 — electric
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. current — happening now
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. current — of water
  10. mate — a friend
  11. press — to push
  12. root — of a word
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. press — newspapers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. root — of a plant
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ground — a position
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. press — a publisher
  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