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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · bank · wind · bowl · wave · patient

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. root — of a word

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