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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bank — for money
  3. lean — to bend
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — music
  7. bank — of a river
  8. swing — to play on
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — thin
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. root — of a word
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. swing — in golf
  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