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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: wound · net · drill · root · bass · safe · trunk · stand

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. root — of a plant
  3. drill — a practice
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. root — the cause
  12. net — in sport
  13. stand — to bear
  14. net — after costs
  15. drill — army training
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — low music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. root — of a word
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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