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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 120 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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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: bulb · arm · plane · foot · charge · pound · club · root

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — a measure
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — of a word
  8. charge — in control
  9. club — for golf
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — for light
  18. root — of a plant
  19. club — a group
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. club — for dancing
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. plane — a tool

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