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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: hide · leaves · club · root · wound · bass · rock · deal

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. root — the cause
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. root — of a plant
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bass — the fish
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wound — an injury
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. root — of a word
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. club — a group
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. deal — a big deal

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