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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: can · sharp · kid · tear · fine · root · mate · bass

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mate — a partner
  3. can — to be able to
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. sharp — clever
  11. kid — child
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bass — low music
  20. fine — high quality
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a word
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mate — a friend

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