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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rock — music
  3. root — of a word
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. root — the cause
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — for digging

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