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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. hand — help
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. root — of a word
  14. perch — the fish
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cell — a phone
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cell — in biology
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cell — in a prison

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