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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 116 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 to change the light ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. club — for golf
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — of ice
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cap — a hat
  9. club — a group
  10. root — the cause
  11. club — for dancing
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — a path
  17. spring — the season
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. board — to get on
  20. cap — a lid
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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