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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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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: lean · root · mark · roll · bulb · net · bound · lash

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. root — of a word
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — in sport
  8. roll — a list
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lean — to bend
  12. root — the cause
  13. bound — obliged
  14. net — for catching
  15. lean — thin
  16. roll — a cake
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bound — certain
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bulb — for light
  24. roll — on a roll

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