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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. row — to paddle
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a word
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bank — for money
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. row — a line
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. root — the cause

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