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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mate — a partner
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. band — a ring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a friend
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a music group
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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