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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
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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: ground · leaves · root · chair · bound · bulb · temple · track

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. track — a path
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — to keep track
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ground — the earth
  10. root — of a word
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ground — a position
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bulb — of a plant

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