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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 · hide · land · bay · suit · ball · mouse · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. root — of a word
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. land — a country
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. land — ground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. land — to come down
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. root — the cause
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mouse — the animal

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