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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — the cause
  3. kick — in football
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bank — of a river
  12. swing — music
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stand — to bear
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bank — for money
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. swing — to play on

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