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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cue — a hint
  3. craft — boats
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pop — soda
  7. swing — in golf
  8. root — the cause
  9. pop — music
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cue — a signal
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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