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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. root — the cause
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bass — low music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. current — happening now
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. root — of a word
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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