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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. spring — a coil
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. bank — of a river
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. root — of a word
  12. game — a match
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. foot — a measure
  24. game — wild animals

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