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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rock — music
  9. net — in sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bank — of a river
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — a hole
  21. root — the cause
  22. net — after costs
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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