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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: root · land · current · calf · mark · bore · race · fall

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. root — the cause
  2. land — ground
  3. current — electric
  4. land — to come down
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — happening now
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. land — a country
  11. fall — to drop
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. root — of a word
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — gave birth
  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