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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. spring — a coil
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. root — of a word
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. object — to protest
  11. spring — the season
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. object — a thing
  14. root — of a plant
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — the cause
  17. toast — bread
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. spring — of water
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — to put up with

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