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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. capital — a city
  3. root — the cause
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. band — a ring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. current — electric
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. current — happening now
  13. firm — decided
  14. root — of a plant
  15. capital — money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a music group
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a skill
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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