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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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Word bank
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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. root — of a word
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pit — in a race
  9. root — of a plant
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mate — a friend

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