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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a plant
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — of a river
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rash — hasty
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — the cause
  13. rash — a series
  14. wind — moving air
  15. root — of a word
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. tube — a container
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — ground
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. prune — to trim

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