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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — of a plant
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. present — there
  19. firm — steady
  20. ground — a position
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. mouse — the animal

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