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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: current · chip · root · ground · mug · toast · wound · leaves

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mug — a cup
  3. current — electric
  4. mug — to rob
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. ground — crushed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wound — an injury
  10. current — happening now
  11. chip — for betting
  12. root — the cause
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chip — to eat
  15. toast — bread
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. current — of water
  18. ground — a position
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ground — the earth
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mug — a face

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