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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. root — of a word
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — steady
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. shower — rain
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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