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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 · craft · root · mate · bank · staff · track · kid

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a path
  4. mate — a partner
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — to sink
  7. root — of a word
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mate — to breed
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — the cause
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — boats
  22. staff — a stick
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. track — to keep track

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