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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — of a word
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ground — the earth
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bank — for money
  14. degree — an amount
  15. root — the cause
  16. current — electric
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rule — government
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. rule — a law
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ground — a position
  24. current — happening now

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