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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. root — the cause
  4. bat — the animal
  5. current — of water
  6. shower — rain
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. current — happening now
  9. root — of a word
  10. mug — a cup
  11. object — to protest
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lie — to recline
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — an aim
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. object — a thing
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wave — of the sea

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