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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. root — the cause
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chest — of your body
  8. net — in sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. root — of a plant
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — a box
  13. net — after costs
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — of a word
  16. current — of water
  17. net — for catching
  18. chest — of your body

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