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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 120 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. current — electric
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. root — the cause
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. snap — to click
  7. root — of a word
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. root — of a plant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — happening now
  20. face — to point toward
  21. current — of water
  22. face — part of the head
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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