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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — to crush
  9. last — to go on
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rush — hurry
  14. root — of a word
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. last — final
  18. wake — a trail
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. last — finally
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fine — all right

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