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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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468
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: mine · rock · bulb · cue · craft · wave · bat · root

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. cue — for pool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. root — the cause
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a word
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. craft — boats
  24. wave — with your hand

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