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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — thin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chip — to eat
  19. perch — the fish
  20. root — of a word
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chip — for betting

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