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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bat — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. current — electric
  11. board — to get on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cap — a lid
  14. root — of a word
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. current — of water
  17. root — the cause
  18. current — happening now
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. branch — a division
  23. cap — a hat
  24. board — a committee

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