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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bank — for money
  4. sharp — clever
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — for money
  7. root — the cause
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. scale — size or range
  12. march — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. march — the month
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — in music
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mine — belonging to me

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