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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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bulb — for light
  3. net — for catching
  4. tear — to rip
  5. net — in sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. root — the cause
  10. bank — for money
  11. net — after costs
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. root — of a word
  19. bulb — for light
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pound — a weight
  23. ball — a great time
  24. deal — a big deal

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