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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 · bank · cap · dip · wave · lean · fine · chest

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. root — the cause
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cap — of ice
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — thin
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lean — to bend
  16. root — of a word
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chest — a box
  23. fine — all right
  24. cap — a lid

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