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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 116 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: wound · bulb · row · pop · root · tube · safe · club

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pop — soda
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pop — music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — for golf
  17. root — of a word
  18. tube — a container
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pop — to visit
  22. club — a group
  23. root — the cause
  24. club — for dancing

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