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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 · bay · march · bark · current · cue · bowl · hide

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. march — the month
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. current — electric

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