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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — of a word
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — happening now
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. current — electric
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — the cause
  14. current — of water
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stock — goods
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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