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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. root — of a word
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bank — of a river
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ground — a position
  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