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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: straw · safe · bass · cap · root · temple · bore · land

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. land — a country
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bass — the fish
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. root — of a plant
  16. land — to come down
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — low music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. land — ground
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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