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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: dip · content · root · calf · prune · rule · nail · bank

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bank — of a river
  4. content — happy
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — for money
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — the cause
  17. rule — a law
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. dip — to sink
  24. nail — on a finger

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