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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. firm — decided
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bulb — for light
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. game — wild animals
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. game — a match

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