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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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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: cue · perch · root · pit · object · bulb · bank · rash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. root — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. root — of a word
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. root — the cause
  12. pit — a hole
  13. object — to protest
  14. rash — a series
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — a thing
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — for light

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