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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. current — electric
  6. ball — a dance
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. track — a song
  18. rock — a stone
  19. root — the cause
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a word
  22. row — a line
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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