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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. can — a tin
  4. track — a path
  5. key — in music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wake — a trail
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. can — to be able to
  12. current — electric
  13. key — for a lock
  14. track — to keep track
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ball — a dance
  21. root — of a word
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. root — the cause

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