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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: current · stem · root · rush · fork · bowl · bear · rule

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. root — of a word
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. rule — a law
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. root — the cause
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. current — happening now
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bowl — a football final

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