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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.

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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fall — the season
  6. pound — a weight
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. root — the cause
  11. rule — a law
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — of a word
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rule — government

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