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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: root · pound · lie · degree · last · hide · current · ground

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — final
  7. current — of water
  8. root — of a plant
  9. last — to go on
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ground — a position
  12. root — of a word
  13. last — finally
  14. root — the cause
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. ground — crushed
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. degree — an amount
  24. hide — to keep secret

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