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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — a hint
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — a signal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — army training
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. root — of a word
  24. dip — to sink

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