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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · bore · bass · field · root · can · wind · cap

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. root — of a word
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — a hat
  9. field — for sport
  10. root — the cause
  11. field — farmland
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. can — to be able to
  17. field — a subject
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bass — low music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cap — a lid

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