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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. current — happening now
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. current — of water
  5. root — the cause
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to sink
  8. net — after costs
  9. kick — in football
  10. root — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. firm — decided
  18. current — electric
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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