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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: craft · lean · bass · root · cap · mine · bay · lie

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lean — thin
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mine — for digging
  12. craft — a skill
  13. root — of a word
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. root — the cause
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. craft — boats
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — a hat
  24. root — of a plant

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