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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. root — the cause
  6. wind — moving air
  7. root — of a word
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — decided
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bank — for money
  24. bay — a horse colour

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