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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — obliged
  9. root — of a word
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bat — the animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — certain
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. race — humankind
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — music
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — a contest

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