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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · fall · mate · root · bulb · season · date · spell

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. root — of a word
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — to breed
  5. season — of the year
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. fall — the season
  9. spell — a short time
  10. season — in sport
  11. spell — magic
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spell — letters
  14. rash — hasty
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mate — a partner
  22. root — the cause
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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