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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: date · land · march · firm · stand · bulb · root · bear

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. march — music
  3. date — the fruit
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. land — to come down
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. firm — a company
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — steady
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — the month
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — ground
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. land — a country

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