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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
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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: race · spell · rule · bulb · root · lie · saw · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. race — the arms race
  7. root — the cause
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. spell — letters
  15. bass — low music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — a contest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — of a word
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bass — the fish
  24. spell — magic

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