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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: object · band · pass · cabinet · ground · craft · root · saw

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. object — an aim
  3. ground — a position
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. root — of a plant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pass — a permit
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. object — to protest
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — boats
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — a thing

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