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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. file — a tool
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rule — government
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. press — newspapers
  9. snap — to click
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a music group
  12. root — of a word
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — of a plant
  16. file — a document
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — a publisher
  19. band — a ring
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. current — electric
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. file — a line of people
  24. press — to push

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