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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. current — of water
  3. present — a gift
  4. root — of a word
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. present — the time now
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. current — electric
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. present — there
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — happening now
  16. firm — a company
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. firm — steady

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