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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. current — happening now
  4. spring — the season
  5. current — of water
  6. spring — of water
  7. mug — a face
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mug — a cup
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rock — a stone
  21. current — electric
  22. rock — music
  23. cue — for pool
  24. root — the cause

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