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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · suit · root · can · bass · spring · land · bore

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. spring — of water
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bass — low music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. root — of a word
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. land — ground
  11. root — the cause
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bore — to drill
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bore — to tire
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. land — a country

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