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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.

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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: key · pop · rest · leaves · bowl · root · bulb · cell

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — a phone
  4. key — for a lock
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pop — soda
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pop — music
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cell — in biology
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. root — the cause
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. root — of a word
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rest — a break
  24. bowl — a dish

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