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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. kid — to tease
  11. current — happening now
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kid — child
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. root — of a word
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — in music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. current — of water
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. current — electric

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