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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cell — in biology
  9. root — of a word
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pop — music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ground — a position
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. root — the cause
  24. cell — a phone

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