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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. root — the cause
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. current — happening now
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wake — a trail
  15. tube — a container
  16. mine — for digging
  17. root — of a word
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. root — of a plant
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. snap — to click

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