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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. root — the cause
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — of a river
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — a container
  8. current — electric
  9. bank — for money
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. current — of water
  13. root — of a word
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. band — a music group
  21. root — of a plant
  22. current — happening now
  23. band — a ring
  24. tube — the underground

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