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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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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — boats
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. root — the cause
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. root — of a word
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bank — for money

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