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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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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: root · toast · roll · stem · perch · bulb · bowl · pound

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. toast — bread
  7. root — of a plant
  8. roll — a cake
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stem — to come from
  16. roll — a list
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. root — of a word
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — 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