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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — for light
  5. club — for dancing
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fine — high quality
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — for golf
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — for betting
  18. snap — to click
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fine — all right
  24. club — a group

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