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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. race — the arms race
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. staff — a stick
  6. race — a contest
  7. root — of a plant
  8. can — to be able to
  9. roll — a cake
  10. current — happening now
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — a tin
  18. root — of a word
  19. staff — employees
  20. can — a tin
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. race — humankind

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