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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. firm — steady
  6. clip — to cut
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a word
  11. rock — music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. clip — for paper
  16. rock — a stone
  17. clip — a video
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. firm — a company
  24. key — in music

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