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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: pound · nail · lean · object · root · bulb · staff · bass

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. staff — employees
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lean — to bend
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. staff — employees
  12. root — of a word
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. root — of a plant
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — thin
  20. root — the cause
  21. object — to protest
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bass — the fish

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