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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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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: season · plane · pit · bulb · ruler · root · stick · temple

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. root — the cause
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. season — in sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a word
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — of a plant

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