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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.

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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to drill
  5. court — of law
  6. bore — to tire
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bear — the animal
  15. court — for sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stem — to come from
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. foot — a measure
  24. court — of a king

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