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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. field — a subject
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. field — farmland
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bear — the animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. mug — to rob
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — in sport
  23. field — for sport
  24. net — after costs

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