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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 120 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: nail · arm · bank · root · content · fork · bay · bear

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. content — the amount
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — in a road
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. content — happy
  24. root — of a word

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