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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: rock · safe · bank · cold · calf · root · tube · wave

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rock — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cold — an illness
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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