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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
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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: cap · hide · current · game · court · scale · root · roll

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. court — of law
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — in music
  8. court — of a king
  9. root — of a word
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — a hat
  12. game — wild animals
  13. current — happening now
  14. root — the cause
  15. scale — size or range
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. game — a match
  18. root — of a plant
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cap — a lid
  21. current — of water
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — for sport

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