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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. root — the cause
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — to trim
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — the tool
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. prune — to trim

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