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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. current — electric
  3. spell — a short time
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cell — in biology
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — of a word
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — of the year
  12. present — the time now
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — to recline
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. spell — magic
  17. root — the cause
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. club — a group
  20. spell — letters
  21. cell — a phone
  22. season — in sport
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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