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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — a company
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. firm — decided
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. root — the cause
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pit — a hole
  15. object — a thing
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. wind — moving air
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. root — of a word
  22. firm — steady
  23. club — for golf
  24. object — to protest

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