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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. field — a subject
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. root — of a word
  9. field — for sport
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. field — farmland
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — a permit

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