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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: craft · bound · root · bass · ground · mark · suit · rest

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rest — a break
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. root — of a word
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — clothes
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. craft — boats
  18. bass — low music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mark — a grade
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — in cards
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bound — certain

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