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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. root — of a plant
  3. current — happening now
  4. prune — to trim
  5. court — of law
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bass — the fish
  8. root — the cause
  9. current — of water
  10. court — for sport
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. root — of a word
  13. object — to protest
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — electric
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. court — of a king
  23. charge — in control
  24. prune — the fruit

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