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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. root — of a word
  8. bulb — for light
  9. race — a contest
  10. lie — to recline
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pop — soda

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