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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.

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: bass · ground · pop · lie · bowl · root · bank · content

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bass — low music
  4. ground — crushed
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. content — the amount
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pop — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. content — happy
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  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