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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — a path
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — happening now
  16. drill — the tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. can — a tin
  20. drill — army training
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chip — for betting
  23. root — of a word
  24. can — a tin

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