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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. root — the cause
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. prune — the fruit

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