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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. root — of a word
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. root — the cause
  7. bore — to tire
  8. band — a music group
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. root — of a plant
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. deal — to handle
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a ring
  18. firm — steady
  19. bore — to drill
  20. firm — decided
  21. tube — the underground
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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