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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: root · bulb · tube · board · ruler · field · lash · present

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. present — there
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. present — a gift
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — the underground
  8. field — a subject
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. field — for sport
  14. present — the time now
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. board — to get on
  19. tube — a container
  20. root — the cause
  21. field — farmland
  22. board — a committee
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — a monarch

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