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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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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: current · root · wake · rock · court · press · can · pound

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. current — electric
  3. press — newspapers
  4. court — of law
  5. root — the cause
  6. rock — a stone
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rock — music
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wake — a trail
  12. current — happening now
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. court — for sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. root — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. court — of a king
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a word
  24. current — of water

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