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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. current — electric
  3. file — a document
  4. pound — a weight
  5. file — a tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. root — of a word
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. file — a line of people
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — happening now
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to sink
  20. current — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. dip — a sauce

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