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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 · object · root · bank · stick · row · last · scale

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — to paddle
  5. root — of a plant
  6. last — to go on
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — a thing
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a word
  20. bank — of a river
  21. scale — in music
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — to protest

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