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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. root — of a word
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — after costs
  7. band — a ring
  8. root — the cause
  9. fine — all right
  10. mine — for digging
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — happening now
  13. key — in music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. net — for catching
  17. band — a music group
  18. current — electric
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. current — of water

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