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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. root — the cause
  3. current — electric
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. root — of a plant
  7. current — of water
  8. net — after costs
  9. spell — magic
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. net — in sport
  14. field — for sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. root — of a word
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. firm — decided
  19. current — happening now
  20. foot — a measure
  21. spell — a short time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. field — farmland
  24. spell — letters

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