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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — a committee
  5. root — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. chest — of your body
  10. board — to get on
  11. craft — boats
  12. bat — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. chest — a box
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — the cause
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bore — to drill
  24. chest — of your body

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