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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. pitch — completely
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — the earth
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ground — a position
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. date — the fruit
  18. root — of a word
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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