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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 124 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. prune — to trim
  3. current — of water
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a great time
  6. track — a song
  7. root — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. root — of a word
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. current — happening now
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. track — to keep track

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