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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — a cup
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — the cause
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — for money
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — clothes
  24. root — of a plant

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