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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. object — an aim
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. swing — in golf
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rash — hasty
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. root — of a word
  8. land — ground
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. object — to protest
  11. swing — music
  12. rash — a series
  13. current — electric
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. land — to come down
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. object — a thing
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. bound — tied together
  23. root — the cause
  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