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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — a committee
  8. spell — magic
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spell — letters
  11. present — a gift
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. lash — to lash out

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