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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.

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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: cabinet · pass · wound · saw · net · spring · root · can

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a plant
  3. spring — of water
  4. net — for catching
  5. spring — the season
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. spring — a coil
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pass — to succeed
  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