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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bank — of a river
  3. clip — a video
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — a company
  10. lean — thin
  11. clip — to cut
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — the underground
  15. root — the cause
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. firm — steady
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. clip — for paper
  24. bank — for money

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