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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. object — an aim
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. root — the cause
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. root — of a word
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — bread
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wind — moving air

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