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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. object — a thing
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. roll — a list
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. root — of a word
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. root — of a plant
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pit — a hole
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — a position

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