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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 · arm · bay · plane · roll · suit · mine · root

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. roll — a list
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — to fit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. root — of a word

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