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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. net — after costs
  3. current — happening now
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — electric
  7. fall — the season
  8. current — of water
  9. deal — to handle
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. root — the cause
  12. net — for catching
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. net — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fall — to drop
  23. root — of a word
  24. charge — a price

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