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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. last — finally
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. scale — in music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — the cause
  15. last — to go on
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — size or range
  23. last — final
  24. scale — for weighing

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