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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. clip — for paper
  3. root — of a plant
  4. capital — a city
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — a weight
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — to cut
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. capital — money
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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