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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. swing — to play on
  5. root — of a word
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. root — of a plant
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. current — of water
  14. root — the cause
  15. branch — a division
  16. swing — in golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. current — electric
  19. swing — music
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. current — happening now

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