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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 · prune · bank · stock · object · mine · calf · bat

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. root — the cause
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. root — of a plant
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. stock — goods
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — shares
  18. mine — for digging
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — of a river
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bat — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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