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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: foot · ground · bulb · pound · arm · suit · root · drill

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ground — the earth
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. root — of a word
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — army training
  12. pound — a weight
  13. root — the cause
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — a position
  24. foot — a measure

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