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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. current — electric
  3. cap — of ice
  4. content — happy
  5. cap — a hat
  6. root — the cause
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — of a word
  9. squash — to crush
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. current — of water
  12. saw — the tool
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cap — a lid
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. squash — the sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. content — the amount
  20. current — happening now
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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