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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. root — the cause
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bank — for money
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. track — a song
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. track — a path
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. root — of a word
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lean — to bend
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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