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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — finally
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. root — the cause
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. present — a gift
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — a cake
  23. root — of a plant
  24. foot — the bottom

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