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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: pass · current · mine · kick · safe · content · squash · root

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. current — happening now
  3. root — of a word
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. root — the cause
  12. squash — the sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — for digging
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — electric
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. content — the amount
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — of water
  23. content — happy
  24. mine — belonging to me

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