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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. current — electric
  3. ball — a dance
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mug — a face
  8. foot — a measure
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. present — the time now
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. root — of a word
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. present — there
  16. mug — to rob
  17. present — a gift
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. root — the cause
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. prune — to trim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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