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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: bulb · chair · root · bass · fine · clip · cap · content

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cap — a lid
  4. root — the cause
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. clip — to cut
  10. chair — a leader
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. cap — of ice
  14. root — of a word
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. clip — for paper
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. clip — a video
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fine — all right
  23. bass — low music
  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