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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · bank · bark · drill · bulb · squash · pitch · hand

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. squash — to crush
  3. drill — army training
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. squash — the sport
  15. root — the cause
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. hand — help
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a word
  24. squash — the vegetable

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