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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. current — happening now
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mate — a partner
  5. land — to come down
  6. cap — a lid
  7. land — a country
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mate — to breed
  12. root — the cause
  13. net — after costs
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — of a word
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. current — electric
  20. net — for catching
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. net — in sport
  23. land — ground
  24. root — of a plant

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