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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — to recline
  4. swing — music
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — the cause
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — boats
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. swing — in golf
  20. craft — a skill
  21. file — a tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. hide — to keep secret

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