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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · track · root · fan · bank · bowl

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bank — for money
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — of a river
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. root — the cause
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. track — a song
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fan — a supporter

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