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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rash — a series
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a path
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. band — a ring
  14. root — the cause
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. band — a music group
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. march — the month
  21. bank — for money
  22. march — music
  23. track — a song
  24. band — a rubber band

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