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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. cell — a phone
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rock — music
  8. current — of water
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rock — a stone
  12. snap — to click
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. root — of a word
  16. current — happening now
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cell — in biology
  19. craft — boats
  20. root — the cause
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rock — to move gently

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