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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: root · hide · nail · stock · bound · cabinet · cap · foot

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — shares
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a lid
  6. foot — a measure
  7. root — the cause
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stock — goods
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cap — of ice
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. root — of a word
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — certain
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — a hat

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