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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. root — the cause
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fall — to drop
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fall — the season
  11. root — of a word
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — of a river
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — to bear

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