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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — a committee
  3. root — of a plant
  4. craft — boats
  5. object — an aim
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. object — a thing
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mine — for digging
  13. craft — a skill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — to protest
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kid — to tease
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. board — to get on
  24. root — of a word

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