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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: bank · bulb · racket · fine · fan · fork · root · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. fork — in a road

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