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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. root — the cause
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — to crush
  10. wake — a trail
  11. root — of a word
  12. object — a thing
  13. kid — child
  14. object — an aim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — to protest
  17. squash — the sport
  18. kid — to tease

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