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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. bank — for money
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — the cause
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. tube — a container
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — goods
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — a price
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — shares
  23. root — of a word
  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