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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: perch · ruler · cell · root · tube · bass · cap · current

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — of a word
  4. cap — a lid
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. current — electric
  10. tube — a container
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. current — happening now
  13. cap — of ice
  14. current — of water
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bass — low music
  20. cell — in biology
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. cell — a phone
  24. ruler — for measuring

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