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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · swing · roll · calf · plane · bank · root · court

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rash — hasty
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rash — a series
  7. bank — for money
  8. swing — music
  9. root — the cause
  10. roll — a list
  11. court — of a king
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. root — of a word
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. court — for sport
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. court — of law
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. swing — in golf

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