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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: mug · root · bulb · bowl · ground · charge · land · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — a position
  7. charge — a price
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — a country
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. root — of a word
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — ground
  24. root — the cause

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