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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — a list
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. root — of a word
  24. pitch — a sports field

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