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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: mug · spell · fork · root · face · band · bulb · perch

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. spell — magic
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a cup
  12. face — to confront
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a plant
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mug — to rob
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. band — a music group
  20. face — part of the head
  21. spell — letters
  22. face — to point toward
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fork — a garden tool

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