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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: spring · trunk · current · perch · lie · jam · pass · root

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. root — of a word
  3. spring — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. current — electric
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — happening now
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pass — a permit
  13. spring — of water
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spring — a coil
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. jam — a tight spot

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