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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: pit · current · root · mouse · rush · wound · key · kid

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. key — for a lock
  4. current — of water
  5. wound — an injury
  6. root — the cause
  7. rush — hurry
  8. kid — child
  9. current — happening now
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. current — electric
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. key — the most important part
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. kid — to tease
  24. root — of a word

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