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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. current — of water
  3. pop — soda
  4. kick — in football
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — the cause
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — to visit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. root — of a word
  22. current — electric
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. kick — with a leg

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