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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 · saw · craft · net · bass · lie · lean · coach

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bass — low music
  10. lean — thin
  11. root — the cause
  12. craft — a skill
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — boats
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — in sport
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bass — the fish

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