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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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. current — of water
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bat — the animal
  5. track — a path
  6. root — of a word
  7. current — electric
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. present — the time now
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. track — a song
  13. drill — army training
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. present — a gift
  16. drill — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — there
  21. drill — a practice
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. current — happening now
  24. bat — in an idiom

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