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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cue — a hint
  4. current — happening now
  5. root — the cause
  6. land — a country
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — of a word
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cue — a signal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cue — for pool
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — clothes

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