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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. root — the cause
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — the month
  7. rock — a stone
  8. root — of a word
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. march — the month
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rock — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — a match
  20. bulb — for light
  21. march — music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. root — of a plant

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