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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. root — of a word
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bowl — a football final

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