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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. root — of a word
  4. mug — a cup
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — happening now
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mug — to rob
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. stock — goods
  15. sharp — clever
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — of a plant
  19. band — a ring
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. current — electric
  23. staff — employees
  24. mug — a face

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