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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: roll · current · root · cap · cold · hand · temple · charge

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. current — of water
  3. roll — a list
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hand — help
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cap — of ice
  9. root — of a word
  10. roll — a cake
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — a price
  13. cold — an illness
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cap — a lid
  16. current — electric
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — in control
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cap — a hat
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. current — happening now

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