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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rush — hurry
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — a company
  23. root — of a word
  24. rush — to hurry

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