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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.

Words on the sheet
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: sharp · bay · press · root · bulb · cabinet · wave · land

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. land — to come down
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. press — to push
  6. land — ground
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. land — a country
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — newspapers
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. root — of a word
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. press — a publisher
  23. root — the cause
  24. cabinet — ministers

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