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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 the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — of a word
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — the cause
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. degree — an amount
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. root — of a plant
  16. degree — from a university
  17. squash — to crush
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — the sport
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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