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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: bulb · root · bark · cap · face · object · firm · craft

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — decided
  4. craft — a skill
  5. object — a thing
  6. firm — steady
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — to protest
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. face — to point toward
  12. firm — a company
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. object — an aim
  19. cap — a lid
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. root — the cause
  24. bulb — for light

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