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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — rain
  4. root — of a plant
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — the cause
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bear — the animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wax — to grow
  22. row — a line
  23. root — of a word
  24. suit — clothes

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