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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rock — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. root — the cause
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. current — electric
  17. rock — a stone
  18. root — of a word
  19. pass — a permit
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rash — a series
  24. mouse — the animal

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