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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 · cell · saw · bore · cue · root · net · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a word
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cell — a phone
  11. net — for catching
  12. ground — a position
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. net — in sport
  18. cue — a signal
  19. root — the cause
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. net — after costs

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