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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. club — for golf
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. club — a group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. club — for dancing
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. root — the cause
  24. bulb — of a plant

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