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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. date — the fruit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. vault — a safe
  11. root — the cause
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a grade
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fall — the season
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mark — a trace

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