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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 120 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
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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: root · temple · fine · stem · squash · mine · current · ball

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. root — of a word
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mine — for digging
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — to come from
  8. current — electric
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fine — all right
  13. current — happening now
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ball — a great time
  22. root — of a plant
  23. ball — a dance
  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