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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pop — soda
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — letters
  6. chip — for betting
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pop — music
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spell — a short time
  18. root — of a word
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pop — to visit
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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