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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. key — in music
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. fall — the season
  6. tear — from crying
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. current — of water
  9. fall — to drop
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. root — the cause
  13. fall — to drop
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. rock — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — of a plant
  20. key — the most important part
  21. tear — from crying
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tear — to rip
  24. deal — to handle

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