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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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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: bank · can · root · calf · mark · pitcher · branch · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. can — to be able to
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a dance
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a word
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mark — a trace
  23. calf — of the leg
  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