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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. roll — a cake
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — for pool
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. root — of a word
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. roll — a list
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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