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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a word
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rash — hasty
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — the cause
  11. lie — to recline
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. club — for golf
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. rash — a series
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pop — music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pop — to visit

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