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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. band — a ring
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bat — the animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. band — a music group
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. pitch — completely
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. root — of a word
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. snap — to click

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