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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. plane — a tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. root — the cause
  6. club — a group
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bass — the fish
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. swing — to play on
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — steady
  22. club — for golf
  23. swing — music
  24. club — for dancing

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