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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: root · spring · stock · coach · staff · bank · kick · pound

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spring — the season
  3. staff — employees
  4. kick — in football
  5. bank — of a river
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stock — shares
  8. root — the cause
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. root — of a word
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. staff — employees
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. root — of a plant

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