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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. present — the time now
  4. root — the cause
  5. wake — a trail
  6. present — there
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — steady
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. present — a gift
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — a stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rock — music
  24. stand — on your feet

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