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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. bat — the animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. spell — letters
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — the cause

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