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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bear — the animal
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. bark — to shout
  6. root — of a word
  7. mug — a face
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. net — in sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. net — for catching
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. roll — a list
  19. root — the cause
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — to put up with

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