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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. root — of a plant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rock — music
  7. kid — child
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. root — the cause
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pit — a hole
  16. root — of a word
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — to move gently

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