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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: wake · root · chip · stick · bulb · ground · bay · plane

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ground — the earth
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. root — the cause
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — to eat
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. root — of a word
  24. ground — a position

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