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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: root · bear · row · pit · kick · coach · bank · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bank — of a river
  5. root — the cause
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. root — of a word
  16. row — to paddle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — in a race
  22. row — a line
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. root — of a plant

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