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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rule — a law
  6. root — of a plant
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. current — electric
  16. root — of a word
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. current — happening now
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. current — of water
  24. fan — a supporter

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