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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.

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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — music
  6. bass — low music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. roll — a list
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. root — of a word
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pop — to visit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. root — the cause
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bore — to drill
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bank — for money
  24. 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