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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — obliged
  7. shower — to wash
  8. root — the cause
  9. land — ground
  10. bound — tied together
  11. can — to be able to
  12. shower — rain
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. can — a tin
  17. bound — certain
  18. can — a tin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. land — to come down
  22. root — of a word
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bank — for money

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