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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a face
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fine — all right
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. root — the cause
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. fine — high quality
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bat — the animal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. root — of a word
  24. hide — to keep secret

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