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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: nail · date · bank · patient · club · root · arm · bass

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. club — a group
  2. root — of a plant
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — for money
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. bank — for money
  9. bass — the fish
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. root — the cause
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. club — for golf
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. club — for dancing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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