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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. date — the fruit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rest — a break
  7. root — the cause
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. dip — to sink
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fine — all right
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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