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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — electric
  3. root — the cause
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. root — of a word
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bass — low music
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bass — the fish
  24. safe — a strongbox

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