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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stem — to come from
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. clip — to cut
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bank — for money
  11. clip — a video
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mug — a face
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bank — of a river
  17. suit — clothes
  18. root — of a word
  19. mug — to rob
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pound — to hit hard

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