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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bank — for money
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — in music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. root — the cause
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — size or range

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