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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. face — to point toward
  14. shower — rain
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. squash — to crush
  18. current — electric
  19. root — of a word
  20. face — to confront
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. shower — to wash
  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