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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. root — of a word
  3. chest — of your body
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chest — of your body
  6. root — of a plant
  7. chest — a box
  8. current — electric
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. current — of water
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. shower — rain
  15. stand — to bear
  16. root — the cause
  17. current — happening now
  18. lie — to recline
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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