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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — a subject
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — for sport
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. root — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. dip — to sink
  21. root — of a word
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. spell — letters
  24. bear — the animal

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