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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — of a word
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. march — music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. root — the cause
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. march — the month
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. root — of a plant

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