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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. bat — the animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. game — a match
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. race — a contest
  19. object — an aim
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. root — of a word
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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