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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. cap — of ice
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — happening now
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — electric
  15. key — for a lock
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — of a word
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. key — in music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fine — all right
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bat — in an idiom

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