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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pitch — completely
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. degree — temperature
  13. root — of a plant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. scale — size or range
  18. branch — a division
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. current — electric
  22. root — of a word
  23. degree — an amount
  24. branch — of a tree

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