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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. root — of a word
  3. firm — a company
  4. craft — boats
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — decided
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pound — a weight
  21. root — of a plant
  22. object — a thing
  23. root — the cause
  24. clip — a video

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