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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 · scale · band · stick · suit · bore · root · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. root — the cause
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a word
  6. suit — in cards
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. band — a ring
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. scale — size or range
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — to tire
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — a country
  20. suit — clothes
  21. band — a music group
  22. scale — in music
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. suit — to fit

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