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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. root — the cause
  4. current — of water
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mark — a grade
  19. current — happening now
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. current — electric
  22. spring — of water
  23. mark — a trace
  24. roll — a list

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