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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · hand · straw · pitcher · can · dip · bulb · plane

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — help
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. root — the cause
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — to be able to
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. plane — a tool
  24. root — of a word

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