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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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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: rash · saw · chip · tear · bank · prune · capital · root

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a plant
  3. capital — a city
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tear — to rip
  6. root — of a word
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bank — of a river
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chip — for betting
  21. capital — money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — a series
  24. capital — a big letter

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