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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — the cause
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. key — for a lock
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stock — goods
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stock — shares
  22. wake — a trail
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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