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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — music
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — a stone
  16. current — electric
  17. root — the cause
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. current — of water
  21. root — of a word
  22. track — a path
  23. saw — the tool
  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