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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 124 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. staff — employees
  3. current — happening now
  4. root — the cause
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — of water
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. field — a subject
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. root — of a word
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. field — farmland

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