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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: cap · bound · fork · lean · rush · dip · bass · root

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bass — low music
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bound — certain
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. cap — a hat
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — of a word

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