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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 120 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: root · trunk · key · squash · mouse · mine · bark · current

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. current — electric
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. key — the most important part
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. squash — the sport
  13. current — of water
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. current — happening now
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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