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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. root — of a word
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. current — of water
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. season — of the year
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — to fit
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. season — in sport
  24. wax — to grow

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