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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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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: calf · wake · bank · racket · pound · dip · root · arm

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a word
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bank — for money
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — the cause
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bank — of a river
  19. root — of a plant
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pound — a weight
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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