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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. current — electric
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — clothes
  13. degree — temperature
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. suit — to fit
  17. degree — from a university
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mate — a partner
  21. root — the cause
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mate — a friend
  24. leaves — lets stay

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