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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. capital — a city
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. chest — of your body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wake — a trail
  10. firm — decided
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — the cause
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chest — a box
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chest — of your body
  22. root — of a word
  23. mate — a partner
  24. capital — money

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