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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. race — humankind
  3. bear — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. race — a contest
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — low music
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — a stick
  19. can — to be able to
  20. root — of a word
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — a price
  24. bass — the fish

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