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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. root — of a word
  3. current — electric
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. roll — a cake
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — of water
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. content — happy
  19. root — the cause
  20. roll — a list
  21. content — the amount
  22. bank — of a river
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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