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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: tear · root · bank · bark · straw · ball · date · suit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ball — a great time
  3. root — of a plant
  4. date — the fruit
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. root — of a word
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. tear — to rip
  13. root — the cause
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ball — a dance
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — to fit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — clothes
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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