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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. branch — a division
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — the cause
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a word
  21. can — to be able to
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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