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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: cell · bulb · bound · deal · club · root · staff · cap

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. staff — employees
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — tied together
  6. club — a group
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cap — a lid
  9. root — of a word
  10. club — for golf
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bound — obliged
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cell — in biology
  15. staff — a stick
  16. root — the cause
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cap — of ice
  24. deal — a big deal

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