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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bass — low music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a word
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. root — of a plant
  8. suit — in cards
  9. root — the cause
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — letters
  16. suit — to fit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. spell — magic
  19. key — in music
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the fish

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