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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bass — low music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — the animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. scale — in music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. scale — size or range
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a plant

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