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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 120 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: root · stem · object · nail · net · straw · can · cabinet

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. net — for catching
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. root — of a word
  9. can — a tin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. object — an aim
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. net — in sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stem — to come from
  19. root — the cause
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. net — after costs
  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