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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · cold · hide · pass · bulb · fine · firm · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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 — the cause
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. root — of a plant
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cold — an illness
  7. game — wild animals
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — not warm
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fine — all right
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. root — of a word
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fine — high quality
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bulb — for light
  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