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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: chip · root · current · stand · wake · cue · mine · scale

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. current — of water
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. scale — in music
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. root — the cause
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mine — for digging
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. root — of a word
  19. cue — for pool
  20. current — electric
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. current — happening now
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mine — an explosive

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