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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — for sport
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. field — farmland
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — clever
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — happening now
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. current — electric
  19. fine — high quality
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. field — a subject
  24. fine — all right

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