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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: stand · root · foot · ball · bulb · march · plane · spell

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. foot — a measure
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — a short time
  9. root — of a plant
  10. march — music
  11. root — the cause
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. march — the month
  19. ball — a dance
  20. spell — magic
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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