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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: root · bound · bulb · lean · object · track · perch · ball

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. object — an aim
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — thin
  6. root — the cause
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bound — obliged
  9. object — to protest
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. root — of a plant
  13. perch — the fish
  14. root — of a word
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. object — a thing
  19. bulb — for light
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ball — a great time

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