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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. key — in music
  16. root — of a word
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cell — in biology
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. root — the cause
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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