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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: foot · ground · roll · bulb · land · drill · ruler · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. drill — army training
  3. roll — a cake
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. kick — in football
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — a measure
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ground — the earth
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. ground — a position
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. land — a country
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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