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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pop — soda
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pop — music

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