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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — hurry
  4. root — the cause
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. ball — a great time
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. degree — from a university
  13. root — of a word
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. current — electric
  19. cold — not warm
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. current — happening now

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