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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — of a word
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cap — of ice
  17. root — the cause
  18. drill — army training
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. hand — help
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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