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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 124 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. root — of a word
  7. file — a document
  8. chip — for betting
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spring — of water
  12. chest — of your body
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chest — a box
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chip — to eat
  20. saw — the tool
  21. file — a tool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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