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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.

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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: leaves · bulb · root · sharp · suit · dip · toast · field

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. sharp — clever
  6. field — farmland
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. root — of a word
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. root — of a plant
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. root — the cause
  20. toast — bread
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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