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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: net · stand · mine · bay · bear · cabinet · sharp · root

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. root — of a word
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. net — for catching
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. net — in sport
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — the cause
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stand — to bear

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