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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bass — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. field — farmland
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — a subject
  13. root — the cause
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. field — for sport
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cue — a hint
  24. root — of a word

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