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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: leaves · rash · roll · mouse · root · key · current · bowl

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. roll — a list
  5. root — of a word
  6. current — of water
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. key — in music
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. current — electric
  22. bowl — to roll
  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