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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bank — of a river
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. root — of a word
  13. bank — for money
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pop — to visit
  17. root — of a plant
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. root — the cause
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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