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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. root — of a word
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — a price
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rule — a law
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — in control
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. current — of water
  24. bore — to drill

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