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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 120 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: mate · root · cue · pit · bulb · capital · straw · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — of a word
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. capital — money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cue — a hint
  10. capital — a city
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — the cause
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mate — a partner
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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