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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. current — of water
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. craft — boats
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. current — happening now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. root — the cause
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — electric
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. craft — a skill

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