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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 120 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: fork · bark · can · root · current · wind · land · wave

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. current — of water
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — the cause
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — happening now
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. land — to come down
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. current — electric
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. land — a country
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. land — ground
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. bark — to shout

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