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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. vault — a safe
  18. root — of a word
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bulb — for light
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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