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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: lean · safe · bulb · kick · hand · root · roll · bay

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hand — help
  4. root — the cause
  5. roll — a list
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kick — in football
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. hand — in cards
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — a thrill

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