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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 120 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 · bound · net · rash · cap · dip · stand · drill

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. net — for catching
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cap — a lid
  8. root — the cause
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rash — a series
  11. bound — tied together
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cap — a hat
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. net — in sport
  19. drill — army training
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — after costs
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. root — of a word

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