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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. root — the cause
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. root — of a word
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — thin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — in football
  24. row — a quarrel

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