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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: lie · root · tear · object · pop · spring · jam · bank

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — of water
  5. root — of a word
  6. spring — the season
  7. root — of a plant
  8. tear — to rip
  9. object — a thing
  10. root — the cause
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. tear — from crying
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pop — soda
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — to protest
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. spring — a coil
  24. object — an aim

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