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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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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: nail · mouse · bat · wind · bank · safe · root · lean

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. root — the cause
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — thin
  12. wind — moving air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a word
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lean — to rest against

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