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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cue — a signal
  6. root — the cause
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cue — for pool
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. root — of a word
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. root — of a plant
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ground — a position
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — the earth
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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