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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mark — a trace
  5. root — of a word
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. row — a line
  9. pit — in a race
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. root — the cause
  13. object — to protest
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — of a plant
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. bank — for money
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mark — to pay attention

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