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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. tube — a container
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. tube — the underground
  9. land — a country
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. root — of a word
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. band — a music group
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. band — a ring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. land — to come down
  24. bark — to shout

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