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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: bark · coach · root · chip · bay · wax · bulb · bank

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a word
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bark — to shout
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — for betting
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. root — the cause

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