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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — government
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. court — for sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. root — of a word
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — to protest
  14. craft — boats
  15. mark — a trace
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rule — a law
  23. object — a thing
  24. craft — a skill

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