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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. march — the month
  3. current — electric
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. march — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. current — of water
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wake — a trail
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a trace
  23. key — the most important part
  24. march — the month

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