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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a word
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — a safe
  9. root — of a plant
  10. row — a line
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. field — farmland
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. root — the cause
  23. field — for sport
  24. lash — to lash out

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