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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — the cause
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. swing — to play on
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fine — all right
  13. roll — a list
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. root — of a word
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — for money
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fine — high quality
  23. swing — music
  24. root — of a plant

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