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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. root — the cause
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. kid — to tease
  6. object — a thing
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. root — of a plant
  9. sharp — clever
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. object — to protest
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — of water
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. root — of a word
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. kid — child
  21. current — happening now
  22. object — an aim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. arm — part of the body

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