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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: racket · firm · pit · craft · root · chair · bulb · bowl

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pit — a hole
  5. firm — a company
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — decided
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. root — of a word
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. root — the cause
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — boats

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