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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: root · capital · saw · clip · ruler · pit · pop · current

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. clip — a video
  4. capital — money
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. clip — to cut
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pop — soda
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. current — happening now
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — the cause
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. saw — the tool
  23. capital — a city
  24. pop — music

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