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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 124 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cap — a lid
  5. current — happening now
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fall — to drop
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — an amount
  14. current — electric
  15. cap — of ice
  16. degree — from a university
  17. cue — for pool
  18. root — the cause
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. degree — temperature
  21. fall — the season
  22. cap — a hat
  23. current — of water
  24. cue — a signal

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