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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a great time
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. root — the cause
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — to be able to
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. kick — in football
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. can — a tin

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