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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: root · capital · nail · leaves · mine · stick · net · scale

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. root — the cause
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. capital — a city
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mine — for digging
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. scale — in music
  21. capital — money
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. net — after costs
  24. leaves — to go away

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