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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bass — low music
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — the fish
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. root — of a word
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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