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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — the cause
  4. stand — to bear
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — a match
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bass — low music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. game — wild animals
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. root — of a word
  18. bass — the fish

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