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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. current — of water
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — happening now
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tube — the underground
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ground — a position
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. hand — help
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. current — electric

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