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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — decided
  5. root — of a plant
  6. drill — army training
  7. root — of a word
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. root — the cause
  12. firm — steady
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. firm — a company
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — music
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a dance

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