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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: pound · cabinet · game · bass · wake · content · firm · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pound — a weight
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. game — a match
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. root — of a word
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. firm — steady
  13. content — the amount
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bass — low music
  18. content — happy
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — a company
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. game — wild animals
  23. firm — decided
  24. bass — the instrument

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