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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
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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: shower · bank · field · ruler · root · can · swing · ball

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. swing — music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — of a river
  6. root — the cause
  7. swing — to play on
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. field — farmland
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — a subject
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ball — a great time
  16. shower — rain
  17. bank — for money
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — to be able to
  22. field — for sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — a tin

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