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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 116 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. kick — in football
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. ground — a position
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bore — gave birth

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