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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — of a word
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — of water
  7. present — the time now
  8. root — of a plant
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pass — a permit
  11. root — the cause
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. present — a gift
  14. saw — the tool
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. saw — the tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — there

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