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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · pitcher · bass · band · can · foot · lash · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. can — a tin
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. band — a music group
  6. foot — a measure
  7. root — of a word
  8. bass — the fish
  9. band — a ring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bass — low music
  24. foot — the bottom

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