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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. can — to be able to
  3. scale — in music
  4. root — of a plant
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — the cause
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bass — low music
  12. drill — the tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. drill — army training
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — happening now
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. root — of a word
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bass — the fish

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