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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
468
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: bulb · root · bass · plane · stem · dip · rest · wake

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. root — of a word
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rest — a break
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — a sauce

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