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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: root · lean · row · wind · craft · bank · calf · pass

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. root — of a word
  7. lean — thin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. root — the cause
  11. lean — to bend
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. root — of a plant
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — boats
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. row — to paddle
  21. wind — moving air
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. row — a line
  24. wind — to turn a key

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