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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 124 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. current — happening now
  4. root — of a plant
  5. branch — a division
  6. root — of a word
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. present — there
  9. foot — a measure
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — a practice
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. drill — army training
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — a trail
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ball — a dance
  20. drill — the tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. present — the time 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