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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. root — of a word
  4. ground — crushed
  5. present — there
  6. rash — a series
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. current — happening now
  12. root — the cause
  13. current — electric
  14. present — a gift
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. last — finally
  20. ground — a position
  21. last — to go on
  22. present — the time now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. last — final

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