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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 116 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: wound · chip · current · ball · root · deal · stand · bear

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. current — electric
  3. wound — an injury
  4. deal — to handle
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. current — happening now
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. root — of a word
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ball — a round shape

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