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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: season · bass · fine · trunk · root · chip · cap · mug

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — to eat
  3. season — in sport
  4. root — the cause
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. season — of the year
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mug — a face
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mug — a cup
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cap — of ice
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — the fish
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — low music

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