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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — to fit
  5. current — electric
  6. clip — a video
  7. current — of water
  8. present — a gift
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. suit — clothes
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — of a word
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. clip — for paper
  18. present — there
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. clip — to cut
  22. chip — for betting
  23. current — happening now
  24. ruler — for measuring

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