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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bank — for money
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stock — shares
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. root — the cause
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fall — to drop
  18. root — of a word
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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