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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. root — of a word
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. root — of a plant
  5. firm — a company
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — the cause
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. firm — steady
  14. current — of water
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — a permit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — a trail
  19. current — happening now
  20. shower — rain
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — electric
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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