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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. current — happening now
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. current — electric
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — of water
  14. perch — the fish
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — a city
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — the cause
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — of a word
  23. pit — in a race
  24. capital — money

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