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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. staff — employees
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. tear — to rip
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — electric
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cell — a phone
  12. root — of a plant
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. root — of a word
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. current — of water
  22. staff — a stick
  23. root — the cause
  24. tear — from crying

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