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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. march — music
  13. root — of a word
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bank — for money
  17. march — the month
  18. bat — the animal
  19. march — the month
  20. root — of a plant
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stem — to come from

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