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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: season · root · bound · bulb · lash · pit · drill · plane

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. season — in sport
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. drill — army training
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bulb — for light
  22. root — of a word
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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