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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — the cause
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. spring — a coil
  9. root — of a word
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. board — a committee
  12. spring — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spring — the season
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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