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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — of a plant
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause

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