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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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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: deal · bulb · bowl · wake · root · object · shower · pitch

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — rain
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. shower — to wash
  6. root — the cause
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. object — to protest
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. root — of a word
  23. wake — a trail
  24. deal — a big deal

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