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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — a company
  7. root — of a word
  8. current — of water
  9. degree — temperature
  10. root — the cause
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — an amount
  13. firm — steady
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. vault — a safe
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. firm — decided
  23. degree — from a university
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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