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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bark — to shout
  5. current — of water
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. row — a line
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. key — in music
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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