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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. current — electric
  3. court — of a king
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. root — of a word
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. object — an aim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. content — the amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. content — happy
  24. nail — for a hammer

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