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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. drill — the tool
  3. current — electric
  4. bear — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. root — of a plant
  8. current — of water
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. game — a match
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. chair — a leader
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. drill — a practice
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hand — help
  22. drill — army training
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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