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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: bass · net · nail · bound · wave · bear · jam · root

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bass — the fish
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. net — for catching
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bear — the animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bear — the animal
  24. net — in sport

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