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

Word bank: root · cell · ball · bowl · bank · club

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. club — a group
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cell — in biology
  10. club — for golf
  11. bank — for money
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cell — a phone

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