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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 116 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: sharp · trunk · root · spring · hide · stand · ground · nail

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ground — crushed
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. spring — a coil
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — clever
  10. root — of a plant
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. root — the cause
  16. spring — the season
  17. ground — the earth
  18. root — of a word
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spring — of water
  22. ground — a position
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. sharp — with an edge

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