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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. root — of a word
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — the cause
  10. present — a gift
  11. current — happening now
  12. root — of a plant
  13. current — of water
  14. cap — of ice
  15. present — the time now
  16. current — electric
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cap — a hat
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. prune — to trim
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. present — there

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