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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — decided
  4. suit — clothes
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. land — a country
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fork — in a road
  10. land — ground
  11. present — there
  12. firm — steady
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — in cards
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. land — to come down
  22. bulb — for light
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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