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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: band · ground · spell · root · bulb · stand · mark · hide

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spell — letters
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ground — a position
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ground — crushed
  14. root — of a word
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. spell — magic
  21. root — the cause
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — the earth

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