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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — of a word
  3. current — happening now
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. root — of a plant
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. content — happy
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — humankind
  24. ball — a dance

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