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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. root — the cause
  7. current — happening now
  8. root — of a plant
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — a tool
  12. current — of water
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. land — a country
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. land — to come down
  19. rest — a break
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. land — ground
  24. root — of a word

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