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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 120 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: suit · root · can · pound · bass · lean · land · rock

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bass — low music
  6. root — the cause
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lean — thin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. can — a tin
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. root — of a word
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. land — ground
  20. suit — to fit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. land — a country
  24. pound — a weight

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