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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — the time now
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. perch — the fish
  13. current — of water
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a word
  16. present — there
  17. hand — in cards
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. present — a gift
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mouse — for a computer

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