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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: net · bank · root · rash · ball · object · dip · staff

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. root — of a plant
  3. object — an aim
  4. ball — a great time
  5. object — a thing
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — to protest
  8. root — of a word
  9. staff — employees
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bank — for money
  15. net — for catching
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bank — of a river
  18. staff — employees
  19. root — the cause
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. net — in sport

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