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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. club — a group
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. root — the cause
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bore — to drill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — of a river
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. root — of a word
  18. suit — to fit
  19. club — for golf
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — for money
  22. wound — an injury
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. perch — the fish

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