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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: arm · root · drill · hide · lean · bank

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. drill — a practice
  9. root — the cause
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a word
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin

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