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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. face — to point toward
  5. root — of a word
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. saw — the tool
  9. face — part of the head
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. can — to be able to
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to confront
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stand — for spectators

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