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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: nail · root · trunk · cabinet · kick · vault · bass · net

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bass — low music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. net — after costs
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — a safe
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. net — for catching
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — in sport
  19. kick — in football
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — the fish
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — on a finger

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