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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — for golf
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — a position
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bank — for money
  14. capital — a city
  15. ground — crushed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a word
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — thin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. club — a group
  22. capital — money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ground — the earth

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