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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mug — a face
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mug — to rob
  13. current — electric
  14. mug — a cup
  15. club — for golf
  16. root — of a plant
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — a group
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. current — of water
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bulb — of a plant

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