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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. date — the fruit
  3. root — the cause
  4. current — happening now
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bulb — for light
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cell — in biology
  12. root — of a word
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. current — of water
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. rule — government
  23. current — electric
  24. spell — magic

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