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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. current — happening now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. root — the cause
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. current — of water
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. game — a match

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