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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. root — the cause
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — a grade
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — a thing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. object — an aim
  23. prune — the fruit
  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