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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: bank · foot · pass · bark · cabinet · hand · ruler · root

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bark — to shout
  6. root — of a plant
  7. hand — help
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a word
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. root — the cause
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. foot — part of the body

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