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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wind — moving air
  7. club — a group
  8. root — of a plant
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. root — of a word
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. content — the amount
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. race — a contest
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. club — for golf
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. content — happy
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wind — to turn a key

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