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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. root — the cause
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — in sport
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. current — of water
  15. net — after costs
  16. root — of a word
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. current — happening now
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. current — electric
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ball — a great time

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