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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 120 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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — of a plant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — for money
  10. cold — not warm
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. track — a path
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. root — the cause
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bank — for money
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bank — of a river
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cold — an illness
  23. track — a song
  24. root — of a word

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