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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.

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 · bay · court · nail · pass · net · root · hide

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. court — for sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — a permit
  8. court — of law
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — low music
  11. court — of a king
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — in sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. root — of a word
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. root — the cause
  24. net — for catching

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