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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: bank · jam · wound · roll · kick · root · land · current

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. root — of a plant
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. root — of a word
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. kick — in football
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. current — of water
  18. land — to come down
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. root — the cause

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