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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · cap · nail · can · foot · object · root · temple

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — a measure
  4. object — an aim
  5. cap — of ice
  6. root — of a word
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. object — a thing
  16. can — a tin
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — to protest
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bass — low music

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