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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a plant
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. clip — a video
  6. spring — of water
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mate — to breed
  9. spring — the season
  10. clip — to cut
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. root — of a word
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — the cause
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mate — a partner
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spring — a coil

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