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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 116 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. current — happening now
  4. track — a path
  5. root — the cause
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. track — a song
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pound — a weight
  19. root — of a word
  20. land — ground
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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