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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 124 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. file — a line of people
  3. root — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. root — the cause
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mate — a friend
  11. tube — a container
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — to breed
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — for light
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — the underground
  24. file — a document

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