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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — of a word
  5. tube — a container
  6. root — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. snap — to click
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rule — government
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rule — a law
  17. current — happening now
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. root — the cause
  24. current — of water

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