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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spring — the season
  10. root — the cause
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rush — hurry
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. spring — of water
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. root — of a word

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