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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 120 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: firm · bound · bark · bulb · lean · leaves · wave · root

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. root — of a word
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — decided
  9. root — the cause
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. firm — steady
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lean — thin
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. firm — a company
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wave — of the sea

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