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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 · ground · drill · plane · mark · kick · root · dip

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — a position
  10. root — of a word
  11. ground — crushed
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ground — the earth
  18. plane — a tool
  19. kick — in football
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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