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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. band — a music group
  4. root — of a plant
  5. capital — money
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. band — a ring
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — to handle
  14. capital — a city
  15. root — of a word
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — the cause
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — out of danger

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