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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: march · patient · hide · toast · plane · root · foot · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. march — the month
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. march — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — a tool
  9. root — of a plant
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — for light
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. toast — bread

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