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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: net · pitcher · arm · can · bulb · land · root · hide

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — after costs
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — to be able to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. land — ground
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. land — a country
  22. root — the cause
  23. land — to come down
  24. bulb — 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