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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: present · jam · root · ball · firm · bulb · plane · nail

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. root — of a word
  9. ball — a great time
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — steady
  21. ball — a dance
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  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