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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — a coil
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — to handle
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bat — the animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — the season
  24. mouse — the animal

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