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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: land · pitch · arm · wound · dip · root · bulb · wake

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a word
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. arm — part of the body

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