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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. charge — a price
  6. root — the cause
  7. cell — a phone
  8. capital — money
  9. root — of a plant
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — in control
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. current — of water
  14. land — ground
  15. root — of a word
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. charge — electricity
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. current — happening now
  22. bark — to shout
  23. capital — a city
  24. land — to come down

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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