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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.

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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 · current · season · can · spell · mate · net · rock

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. root — the cause
  5. net — in sport
  6. current — of water
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spell — letters
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — music
  12. mate — a partner
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. root — of a word
  16. spell — a short time
  17. season — of the year
  18. mate — a friend
  19. spell — magic
  20. rock — a stone
  21. net — for catching
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — in sport
  24. mate — to breed

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