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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rash — a series
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. march — music
  6. face — part of the head
  7. march — the month
  8. rash — hasty
  9. face — to confront
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. deal — to handle
  14. root — the cause
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. root — of a word
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. face — to point toward
  21. march — the month
  22. current — electric
  23. sharp — clever
  24. saw — the tool

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