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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. face — part of the head
  4. root — of a word
  5. spring — a coil
  6. dip — to sink
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. field — for sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. field — a subject
  14. ground — a position
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — crushed
  18. spring — of water
  19. face — to point toward
  20. spring — the season
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — to confront
  23. field — farmland
  24. bulb — for light

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