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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. root — the cause
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. root — of a word
  9. toast — bread
  10. wax — to grow
  11. kid — to tease
  12. craft — boats
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. kid — child
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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