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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: bulb · pit · deal · plane · season · wake · hide · root

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pit — a hole
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — the cause
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. season — in sport
  12. root — of a word
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. season — of the year
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wake — a trail
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. root — 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