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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. firm — steady
  5. field — a subject
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mine — for digging
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. field — for sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. field — farmland
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rush — hurry
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. firm — decided

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