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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. tube — a container
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — a company
  9. fall — to drop
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. root — of a word
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bulb — for light
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. firm — decided

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