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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · toast · root · rule · bound · squash · perch · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. squash — the sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. squash — to crush
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. toast — bread
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. root — the cause
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — certain
  21. rule — government
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. current — electric

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