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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: root · cabinet · bass · bear · wake · kick · ball · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ball — a dance
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kick — in football
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. root — the cause
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — decided
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bass — the instrument

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