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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chair — a leader
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. club — for golf
  13. pound — a weight
  14. root — the cause
  15. club — a group
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. root — of a word
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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