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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. current — happening now
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. root — the cause
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cue — a hint
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fine — all right
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — to protest

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