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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tear — from crying
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — to push
  9. current — electric
  10. root — of a word
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ball — a dance
  14. tear — to rip
  15. current — of water
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mouse — the animal

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