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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.

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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. root — the cause
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rule — government
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — of a word
  18. rule — a law
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — electric
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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