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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: jam · pit · bass · prune · root · roll · patient · bank

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pit — a hole
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. roll — a list
  23. root — of a word
  24. pit — in a race

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