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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: wave · current · chip · mine · plane · press · root · clip

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. current — happening now
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. plane — a tool
  10. press — a publisher
  11. clip — to cut
  12. current — electric
  13. mine — for digging
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. clip — for paper
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. clip — a video
  24. wave — with your hand

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