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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: cue · bank · fall · root · spring · ruler · spell · charge

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — a hint
  6. charge — in control
  7. spring — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spring — the season
  13. fall — the season
  14. spell — a short time
  15. root — of a plant
  16. spell — magic
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cue — a signal
  21. root — the cause
  22. spell — letters
  23. root — of a word
  24. charge — a price

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