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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 120 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — the cause
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. rock — a stone
  18. root — of a word
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — music
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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