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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · land · stand · suit · kick · bass · foot · bulb

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. land — a country
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — to fit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — low music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — in football
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — a thrill

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