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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. root — of a word
  13. land — ground
  14. fine — all right
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. kick — in football
  17. bark — to shout
  18. present — the time now
  19. firm — decided
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — steady
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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