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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. squash — the sport
  7. saw — the tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bound — certain
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — the tool
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. root — the cause
  19. bank — for money
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. root — of a word
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. trunk — of a car

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