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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: mug · cap · root · bulb · craft · rock · clip · fork

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. clip — a video
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. clip — for paper
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — of a plant
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mug — a face
  14. root — the cause
  15. cap — of ice
  16. root — of a word
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rock — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rock — a stone
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — a cup

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