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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bank — of a river
  6. clip — a video
  7. root — of a word
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — for paper

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