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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cold — not warm
  3. root — the cause
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cold — an illness
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — to fit
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. can — a tin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — to be able to
  18. root — of a word

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